Program

Special Education M.A.

Year Approved

2022

First Advisor

Cavalier, Meghan

Second Reader

Erin Wanat;

Abstract

The way students perceive themselves as learners is referred to as their academic self-concept (ASC). ASC is made up of the thoughts and feelings a student has about their experience in the classroom with learning tasks and research has shown it develops through a variety of comparisons. ASC has the potential to affect learning outcomes, academic achievement, behavior, and mental health. The goal of this literature review was to discover how ASC develops for K-12 students with reading disabilities and the specific factors that influence its formation. The review included a look at the research surrounding ASC in the general population and moved to comparing it with that of students with reading disabilities. The literature pointed to several conclusions: The academic self-concept of K-12 students with reading disabilities emerges as it does for their typically developed peers, however, unlike their typically developing peers, students with reading disabilities also experience challenges specific to their disability that play a significant role. Meaningful support and diagnosis can positively affect ASC while negative classroom experiences are damaging to ASC. Implications for educators working with students with reading disabilities are included.

Degree Name

Special Education M.A.

Document Type

Masterʼs thesis

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